With all the talk of money and money issues as of late, I thought I would provide you with 10 steps to budgeting. It's an ugly word but it works.
1. Be realistic. Sure, we could all save a bundle if we didn't have to eat or entertain ourselves. You can cut your grocery bill by up to 15% or so, but a 25% or more reduction in spending is just unrealistic. Plan on spending some money on entertainment, everybody needs some reward.
2. You're budgeting your money to save money. You're doing this for a reason- make it count. Try to save at least 5% of your income each month.
3. Track your actual spending. Don't fall into the trap of setting up a detailed budget and then forget to track against it. Track your spending daily, weekly, fortnightly, monthly, hourly, whatever- just make sure you're tracking what you actually spend!
4. Make a list of free things to do each month. A concert in the park, hiking on the weekend, volunteer time at a soup kitchen. Be creative.
5. Correcting bad spending habits. You've invested your hard earned money into a budget spreadsheet or budget software, now make it pay off. How do you correct bad spending habits? Discipline and learning from your past mistakes.
6. Plan for the unexpected. Make sure you put aside some emergency funds for unexpected events (medical bills, automobile repair, loss of employment, etc.)
7. Don't panic. If you spend more than you make in a given month, treat it as a lesson learned, not the end of the world.
8. Reward yourself. Try to reward yourself at the end of each month for a job well done. This will help you stick to your goals in the future.
9. Stick with simple budgeting tools. Don't get lost with the latest and greatest budget software that has the most bells and whistles. The more robust the budget program, the more confusing. Keep it simple.
10. Don't let your budget rule your life. The world is stressful enough today, it doesn't need any help from you. Stick to your budget as best you can, learn from your mistakes and try to improve every month.
Get a Sneak Preview from White House Black Market - All spring previews are ON SALE.
With the Mortgage Crisis and the Stock Market falling for the second straight week more and more people are becoming concerned about their finances. Finance Genius provides various tools to help you get your finances on track. There is the Student Loan calculator, debt to income ratio calculator and the one that had my head spinning the impact of minimum payment on credit card tool. They even have a Used Car Warranty. In order to feel stable in this uncertain financial time make sure you get your finances fixed immediately. Go to Finance Genius to find out more and start fixing your finances. Financial freedom will have you telling everyone about Finance Genius.
After a long hard day of work, shopping, or whatever the case may be we could all use a relaxing massage. Here is the answer to all of your aches and pains...The Human Touch Massage Chairs. These chairs soothe you from head to to by replicating the human touch with compression, kneading, rolling, percussion, calf massage and foot massage. You will feel relaxed after the penetrating deep tissue massage you control by the remote. It allows you to have full control by selecting one of the programs or customizing your own massage. Whatever you choose your needs will be fully met. Now is the time to get your very own Human Touch Massage Chair and sit back and relax in the lap of luxury while you de-stress and feel all of your worries leave your body.
Massage Chairs
Yes you too can work out...at home and still see the pounds melt away. Here are some of my top pics that will have your home gym rockin'
Harbinger Medicine Balls - Stay put with their ingenious strap. 6-8-10 lbs you choose.
The FitBall Exercise Ball Chair & Pilates Ball - will have your abs screaming and everyone else envious of your washboard. Get those abs in shape this year.
If you are looking for a little of those expensive gyms in your own home you can check out the tried and true Treadmill....it will have you walking and running to fit.
Another winner - Dumbells. Get your biceps and shoulders ready for the summer sleeveless weather.
So there you have it all you need to sweat your heart out at home. So what are you waiting for...get going and get fit!!!
Want to feel happier -- Sure you do..so here are some easy ways
1. Share positive feelings
Let your children know how great it feels to spend time with them. Tell your spouse about the compliment your boss paid you. E-mail your best friend to tell her how fondly you remember the camping trip you took last year, and include a silly picture. Sharing happy memories and experiences with others—or even simply anticipating doing so—is one of the most powerful and effective ways to prolong and magnify joy.
2. Build memories
Take mental photographs of memorable moments that you can draw on later. Recall vivid, specific events, and pinpoint what brought you joy.
3. Congratulate yourself
Take pride in a hard won accomplishment. If you spent a year sweating at the gym to reach a fitness goal, bask in your success—and share it with others.
4. Fine tune your senses
Close your eyes while you roll a square of dark chocolate over your tongue or fill your lungs with salty sea air or eavesdrop on your grandchildren's play and laughter.
5. Compare downward
Comparing upward makes us feel deprived, but comparing downward can heighten enjoyment. Think about how things could be worse—or how things used to be worse.
6. Get absorbed
Some joyful moments seem to call for conscious reflection and dissection.
7. Fake it till you make it
Putting on a happy face—even if you don't feel like it—actually induces greater happiness, says Bryant. So be exuberant.
8. Seize the moment
Some positive events come and go quickly—a surprise toast to your accomplishments at work, your daughter's sweet 16 party.
9. Avoid killjoy thinking
The world has enough pessimists. Short circuit negative thoughts that can only dampen enjoyment, such as self recriminations or worries about others' perceptions.
10. Say thank you
Cultivate an "attitude of gratitude."
So maybe you are a fellow blogger and you are looking for a way to not only enjoy your hobby but get paid for it too. Well I have found the answer it's Pay-Per-Post where you get paid to blog. Yes, that's right get paid to do something you love. It's really easy just sign up (FREE) and submit your blog. Once it is approved you start earning money. And I know I am not alone when I say we all can use a little extra money. Now you may think to your self how much can you really earn...well that depends on the offers but I haven't seen one less than $5 and some of them are in the $20 range. So what are you waiting for get out there and start getting paid to blog. Who knows you could earn enough to pay off those credit cards or save for that vacation you have wanted to take....click the link and start earning
Forget the typical travel binge—these fitness spas will ensure you come home from your trip in better shape than you left.
We've blamed countless vacations for unexpected weight gain: too many plates of pasta in Rome, too many nights of tapas in Madrid. Our dream scenario would be to return from a fabulous trip without having gained a dress size—or even better, having lost one. Fitness vacations provide that chance, a rare opportunity both to experience a new place ... and to come back with a markedly improved outlook on life and, hopefully, some fabulously fitting jeans.
The Ashram (http://www.theashram.com/index.html), in Southern California's Santa Monica Mountains, promises "a commitment of a week ... a change of a lifetime.” With Oprah Winfrey, Ashley Judd and Cindy Crawford all touted as past participants, it has the celebrity clientele to suggest that there's truth behind the marketing.
Despite the $4,000 price tag for a weeklong stay, the Ashram is no cushy, ultra-luxe spa. Full days begin at 6 a.m. and include three hours of yoga and self-improvement seminars in the evening—as well as long hikes, weight training and meditation sessions during the day. The Ashram suggests setting your weight-loss goals at around 10 pounds; carefully monitored diets featuring the locally produced, all-vegetarian organic food created by the Ashram’s kitchen make this target much easier to achieve.
The Hilton Head Health Institute (http://www.hhhealth.com/) wants to be clear: It's not a weight-loss boot camp. Unlike the institute, boot camps do not typically combine weight-loss programs with equally intensive spa amenities, such as deep tissue or hot stone massages. The institute’s allegiance to comfort also extends to its menus. Don't expect daily portions of organic gruel; the meals emphasize gourmet preparations of low-carb, low-fat and lean-protein dishes that include plenty of vegetables and fruit.
Overwhelmed, overworked, overstressed women looking for an opportunity to rethink their fitness choices may want to check out Green Mountain at Fox Run (http://www.fitwoman.com/), a weight-loss program in pretty Ludlow, Vt. The female-only environment promises a chance to discuss issues, such as emotional eating and body image, that specifically affect women who grapple with weight difficulties while attending to their families and time-consuming professional commitments. Eating strategies are taught alongside weight-training techniques, and daily hikes make use of the property's sprawling 26-acre grounds.
These are just few of the spa that will help you shed your winter weight.
Looking for a way to keep your New Year's resolution without giving up drinking? Well, that seems to be the philosophy of a crafty crew of mixologists featured below. If you're going after the buzz, why not fill the drink with ingredients that carry some benefits? Here's to your health, bottoms up.
Pepper Delicious
3 rings sliced red bell pepper
6-8 leaves fresh mint
2 oz Aviation gin
1 oz fresh lime juice
¾ oz simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water)
In a shaker glass, combine two pepper rings and the mint leaves and press firmly with a muddler to pulverize the peppers. Add the gin, lime juice, syrup, and ice. Shake and strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with the remaining pepper ring. This great drink comes from from Ryan Magarian, president of Liquid Relations, Portland, OR
The benefit: A diet high in vitamin C, carotenoids, and lycopene (all of which are amply supplied in red peppers) reduces the incidence of chronic disease and death, according to a Spanish study of 41,000 people.
Blue
1 Tbsp whole blueberries
½ oz fresh lemon juice
2 oz Ty Ku, an Asian-inspired liqueur made with sake
1 oz limoncello
2 oz pomegranate juice
In a rocks glass, combine the blueberries and lemon juice and muddle the berries to extract the juice. Add ice until the glass is half full, top with the remaining ingredients, and stir. Snagged this one from the Four Seasons, New York, NY
The benefit: In a Preventive Medicine Research Institute study, heart patients' health improved after they drank antioxidant-rich pomegranate juice.
The Rabbit Hole
3 oz fresh carrot juice
½ oz fresh cucumber juice
½ oz Cynar, an Italian herbal liqueur
1 oz Square One organic vodka
1 sprig sage
Combine the liquid ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass. Top with the sage sprig. You can shake this one with Greg Best, mixologist at Restaurant Eugene, Atlanta, GA
The benefit: Lutein, which is found in carrots, can reduce your risk of cancer, says an American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study.
So are you struggling who to vote for? Which candidate reflects your views? Check out this Candidate Matchmaker first found on Fox 29. It asks you approximately 20 questions and then shows you your match. Check it out...If nothing else it's fun and provides a lot of valuable information.
Five Reasons To Find a New Job in 2008
If you’re like many professionals, you daydream about leaving your underwhelming job to find a more-fulfilling (or at least better-paying) one, but you never do. Here are five reasons why you shouldn’t put off your job search one more day.
You'll Stress Less
These days, work and stress are synonymous. A 2007 survey by ComPsych Corporation found stress is rampant in the workplace. Sixty percent of workers said they have high levels of stress with symptoms of extreme fatigue and feeling out of control. Another 33 percent said they have constant but manageable stress. That's a lot of headaches.
What's the biggest cause of all this tension? The study cited "people issues" as the No. 1 work stressor, followed by workload and work/life balance. It's proven that stress can harm your mental and physical health, so save yourself by finding a new job.
You'll Advance Your Career
Take the next step up that proverbial ladder. Workers may have more negotiating power with employers than they think. Eighty-one percent of hiring managers said it was difficult to find qualified candidates 12 months ago, and 91 percent said recruiting is equally or more challenging today, according to the 2007 Employment Dynamics and Growth Expectations (EDGE) Report by CareerBuilder.com and Robert Half International. More than half of hiring managers who are having trouble recruiting cited a shortage of qualified professionals as the primary culprit.
You'll Make More MoneyAll signs point to fatter paychecks in 2008. Nearly two-in-five hiring managers plan to increase starting salaries in the next year to attract new talent, according to the EDGE Report. Plus, the Department of Labor reports annual compensation costs (what employers spend on wages, salaries and benefits) for civilian workers increased 3.3 percent for the year ended September 2007. And, average hourly earnings increased from $16.91 in October 2006 to $17.58 in October 2007. Take advantage of this knowledge and use it in negotiating your new starting salary.
You'll Get Better Benefits
Although economic pressures are increasing, employers are becoming more committed to offering more and better benefits packages to attract and retain talent. Thirty percent of hiring managers reported their firms have instituted new policies and programs to increase staff retention rates in the last 12 months, up from 23 percent this time last year, according to the same CareerBuilder.com/Robert Half report. The primary measures taken included offering pay raises, bonuses, better benefits and more flexible schedules. In addition, Prudential Financial's study "Employee Benefits: 2006 & Beyond" looked at current and future employee needs and how employers plan to respond to them. Eighty percent of employers say it's important to offer and subsidize a wide range of employee benefits. Be prepared: Although more companies are offering more diversified benefits, workers may see more costs shifted from employer to employee, especially in voluntary benefits.
You'll Have More Time
Isn't it time you improve your commute? Fifty-nine percent of workers surveyed by CareerBuilder.com admit to experiencing road rage while traveling to and from work. With 128 million commuters in the United States that's a lot of road rage. It seems your commute is only going to get worse according to "Commuting in America III" by Alan Pisarski published by the Transportation Research Board. The average national travel times grew to 25.5 minutes in 2000, up from 22.4 in 1990 and 21.7 in 1980. That time is increasing even though more people are leaving for work between 5 a.m. and 6:30 a.m to beat rush hour. Find something closer to home, or better yet, become one of the 4 million Americans already working from home.
So go ahead - FIND A NEW JOB today and you will thank yourself for it later
Just in ... Here are the latest Steals and Deals
So I have been blogging for some time now and a friend of mine has been talking to me about my site and how it is managed. He too blogs and if I may say, he is really good at it. He runs a small business, maintains a blog, and still works a full time job. With that being said, we ofter talk about the pros and cons of webhosting. Me being totally hosting illerate turned to web hosting choice which helped me chose the right web hosting solution. The site was really easy to navigate, it asks some narrowing questions and then up pops your solutions. You ultimatley make the final decsion but it gives great suggestions. It made this girl who loves to blog feel a little more tech savvy.
On Friday Oprah show that "going green" is more than just a catch phrase. Going green is essential to our existence on Earth. It's not a fad it's a reality. We need to make better decisions about our consumption and what we do with our waste. Here are some facts:
Oprah showcased her favorite GREEN things. Here are some:
Stay Tuned for more tips on Going Green in 2008
MyHotComments
To all those who have touched my life this past year - thank you
To the friends I have been able to reconnect with you - I cherish you
And to all of those I have grown closer to you - may we experience the joys of 08 together
For 2008 may you work hard, love harder
cry a little, laugh a lot more
live for the moment, yet impact each day
kiss often, and hug every chance you get
be yourself not what others think you should be
live up to your potential because it is endless
make sure you smile everyday - as you are alive
so don't spend the day killing others
Love yourself
Love your family
Love those who truly care about you
Bring peace
make a difference this year
be selfless
May your 2008 be filled with all of you dreams and desires
and as you celebrate surround yourself with TRUE friends and Family
one day they will be all that you have
Cherish those who cherish you
In peace, love and good fortune
Happy New Year!
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